Can You Use a Zero Turn Mower for Hills?

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Mowing the lawn is a lot of people’s least favorite chore during the summer, but if you have a large lawn that includes a steep incline, mowing the lawn turns a chore into major task. One thing that can make mowing a large lawn much easier is what is known as zero turn lawn mower, but can you use a zero turn mower on hills? If you never heard of a zero turn mower before, here’s what they are and how they can help you mow a large lawn on a hill.

What is a Zero Turn Mower?

There’s a bit of a debate about who actually invented the zero turn lawn mower, so we won’t get into that here. Suffice to say that the zero turn lawn mower was invented in the late 1950s, early 1960s, and they were designed to make mowing lawns easier.

The biggest design difference between a zero turn mower and conventional sit-on mower is in the steering. Conventional lawn mowers are steered by the front wheels, whereas a zero turn mower is steered by the rear wheels.

Why is it called a zero turn mower?

When you reach the boundary of a lawn, turning a conventional mower is very much like doing a three point turn in your car. In other words, you go back and forth for no real reason other to turn around, so you waste fuel and you waste a lot of time. Zero turn mowers can be turned right around on a dime, so you can be back facing the other way with minimum effort and in no time at all.

How does a zero turn mower work?

Most zero turn mowers don’t have steering wheels, they have two levers that control each of the rear wheels. If you move the levers forward together, the mower will move forward in a straight line. If you pull both the levers backwards, the mower will go into reverse. If you keep the left handle in neutral, however, and you push the right handle forward, the mower will swivel around the axis of the stationary left rear wheel.

Can you use a zero turn mower on hills?

Of course you have to be careful using any kind of lawn mower on hills, especially if the hill is steep, and it is advisable to avoid cutting the grass on a hill when the grass is damp. If you want to mow the grass on a hill, a rear wheel drive mower will be the best option, and that’s exactly what a zero turn mower is. You will have to take it slowly, however, or the small front wheels on a zero turn mower may start to lead you downhill.

Are zero turn mowers suitable for all kinds of lawns?

Most zero turn lawn mowers are designed for large lawns. You just wouldn’t need one to mow a small patch of grass in a small yard. However, you can now get some very competitively priced zero turn mowers that you could use on smaller lawns. They can be a bit tricky to set up, though, so you might need a technician to do that for you, or this setup guide for a Zero Turn Mower for Hills may be useful.